Summer Activities for EH Belltown GC

Lori Wilcox entered her boat in the Capt. Grizzy Showboat Parade on Lake Pocotopaug in August and asked the Belltown Garden Club members to join her.  Below are some photos of the members enjoying the day (after a weather delay!). The pontoon boat float had a composting theme.

 

That's a real composter on the back end!

Thank you, Lori, for inviting us to participate in this fun, summer activity

with a conservation theme.

 

The Belltown Garden Club also joined the Old Home Days Parade this past summer.

 

We'll use any opportunity to wear a hat with flowers and fill a boat or car with flowers. 

Thanks to Paul & Sandy's for the posies and Peggy for driving her car.

That's Lori hatless on wheels, rather than pontoons.

 

Sue Hewes, Projects Chairperson, held a summer meeting at the gazebo in the village center

to plan the renovation of the plantings there.

 

While sipping some wine and enjoying some finger foods, several members discussed what plants to keep or discard and what plants to divide or transplant in the fall in time for the plant & craft sale.

The Board of Education agreed to have the overgrown laurel bushes

and grasses removed from the planting bed. 

 

The beds are about 15 years old and the plants are overgrown so that they prevent maintenance of the gazebo (painting and repair of the lattice work). The Lions Club built the gazebo but it sits on Board of Education property (Center School). Paul & Sandy's donated hollies to replace the laurels and some smaller grasses will replace the overgrown grasses soon.

 

The Belltown Garden Club members also took shifts weeding the gazebo planting over the summer to keep it looking fresh.

 

 

Here's Lori weeding at the flag pole planting mid-July.

 

The flag pole planting grew from a Center School student project to a place where the Belltown Garden Club could plant some divisions from the nearby gazebo planting.  Now we help weed it through the summer to keep it looking colorful with bloom.

 

Sue also organzied some members to plant the planters at the EH Senior Center

 

and at the EH Public Library

 

with plants donated by Paul & Sandy's.

Similar plants were used in other civic plantings to keep a theme consistent around town

for the summer of 2012.

 

It's been a busy summer for members of the Belltown Garden Club.

We hope you consider joining us for the 2012-13 membership year

as we embark on another year of promoting interest and activity

in all forms of gardening, encouraging education to will lead to a deeper

appreciation of garden development, and when possible, to use

this knowledge to better our community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall 2012 Plant & Craft Sale

We had a beautiful September Saturday--and the autumnal equinox-- for our fall plant & craft sale this year. This sale funds the Belltown Garden Club Scholarship awarded in the spring to a graduating senior at East Hampton High School who pursues further studies in conservation, horticulture, or any of the sciences.  Hollye Thomas was the chairperson.  She will let us know at the September meeting (tonight) if we made our goal of $250.

 

Hollye (in blue) and Donna Marsden set up the crafts table.  We had brownies and pickles, herbs and dried flowers in a lovely old pitcher, greeting cards, notepads and luggage tags and a yoga bag for sale--just to mention a few of the creative and crafty items donated.  Thank you, members!

 

 

We also had many plants from the gazebo planting.  Sue Hewes had a work night at the gazebo planting beds.  With the help of many members, we dug and divided Black-eyed Susans, Hostas, Helianthus, Siberian Iris, daylilies and Coreopsis.  Members and other gardeners donated several varieties of plants from their gardens to make a good selection of plants.  Again, thanks to all you donated their time, effort and plants to make this sale successful.

 

See you Monday, September 24 at 7 p.m. in the

East Hampton Public Library Community Room

for our membership meeting

featuring

Michael Corcoran

avid birder, conservationist and citizen scientist

presenting

"Native Plants for Our Native Birds"

 

$20.00 annual member dues will renew your membership for another year

of great programs and activities with the

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Plant Sale for Scholarship Fund September 22nd

President Karen Gallmon has put out an "all call" for Belltown Garden Club members to participate in the fall plant sale on Saturday, September 22nd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  This miniature version of our spring plant sale will be held in conjunction with the East Hampton Farmers' Market in the parking lot of the East Hampton Congregational Church on Main Street in the village center.  The proceeds of this sale are set aside exclusively for the scholarship fund awarded annually to a graduating senior from East Hampton High School.

Please contribute one or more items that reflect your interest in gardens or gardening. It could be from the bounty of your vegetable garden:  salsa, pickles, jam, etc.  Or it could be something that uses your talent and your interest in plants:  a painting or a painted vase or tray, garden stepping stones or chimes you've created or purchased on your summer travels, or cards with pressed flowers or photos of your flower garden. Good-sized, healthy perennials are also needed. Anything with a garden or nature theme would be much appreciated and goes to a very worthy cause.

Karen also needs volunteers to work at the event. Please call or email Karen to let her know when you can work and what you might be contributing. 

Last year's Fall Plant & Craft Sale at the Farmers' Market

September Meeting Announcement

“Native Plants for Our Native Birds”

Creating a more bird-friendly suburban landscape

 

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club

Monday, September 24, 2012

7:00 PM

East Hampton Public Library

 

Join avid birder, conservationist & citizen scientist, Michael Corcoran as he discusses Connecticut's songbirds, their role in our natural systems, and what we, as landowners, can do to help support them.   With a basic understanding of a songbird's life-cycle and their relationship with our native flora, even the smallest of properties can provide safe haven for our breeding birds, and provide a vital "stop-over" for migratory songbirds as the travel through our state.

 

 

Michael Corcoran is a life-long birder, with a particular passion for migratory songbirds. Over the past 20 years, he has participated in countless citizen-based bird population studies. A Connecticut Audubon Society volunteer since 1994, Michael has helped maintain a migratory bird banding station at CAS’s Birdcraft Sanctuary in Fairfield, CT.  Birdcraft, established in 1914, is the oldest privately owned bird sanctuary in the country and one of the earliest examples of “Birdscaping”.  Michael is a 2010 Coverts cooperator through the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  The Coverts Project promotes sound forest stewardship practices for wildlife, clean water and forest sustainability. It advocates for the management of grassland, shrubland and young forest habitat for wildlife on Connecticut’s private lands. 

Michael has taken the knowledge of bird behavior gained as a bird bander, and his experience in the field, and applied it to his own 3 acres in South Glastonbury. With a simple understanding of how our native songbird and native plant communities are linked, he has provided safe haven for breeding birds and created a migratory “stop-over” for birds during their seasonal movements. To date, he has recorded 128 bird species on a 13-year “yard-list”.

Leading trips a field, and speaking throughout the state for birding clubs, garden clubs and conservation organizations, Michael is an advocate for bird conservation, promoting bird appreciation not only for their intrinsic beauty but, as a valuable natural resource. His conservation efforts have been recognized with the Connecticut Audubon Society’s 2012 Environmental Excellence Award and with a citation from the State of Connecticut’s General Assembly.

 

Please mark your calendar and

plan to bring a friend or neighbor. 

We hope to see you there.

 

Local Garden Tour Part 2

At the second house, located in  Hadlyme near the ferry landing, Laurel explained the garden room concept. This garden was also mature, having been designed 25 years ago.  The home owner/gardener had recently designed a garden room to memorialize her husband.  Up the stone steps, you entered a rectangular area with a vine-covered, 2-sided stone wall that enclosed a large slab stone bench and a small pool.  This was just the first of many rooms in this garden.

This "room" had a larger feel with flowering bushes surrounding at the "people level" but enormous, old trees providing a cathedral effect, especially with the sunset filtering through the treetops. Laurel had weeded furiously earlier this summer to prepare the area for a poetry reading--but rain had cancelled the event.  That's the kind of summer it has been, we all agreed.

Lori and Sue head down a stone stairway to a lower level which Laurel called the allee since it was a long narrow "room" with flowering shrubs and tall trees closer to the road.

The view back up the steps to the upper room. The steps and walls are covered with climbing Hydrangea.  The effect of light and shadow was marvelous.

We didn't have time to sit as the sun was setting.  We did have time to go down the road to the ferry landing and see the last of the sunset over the Connecticut River.

Thanks to Laurel White, personal gardener, for this tour of two lovely, old gardens near the banks of the Connecticut River and to Sue Hewes for arranging this event.  Sue and Laurel worked together--until Sue retired this summer!

July Meeting / Local Garden Tours

Laurel White, personal gardener, met about a dozen garden club members and guests to guide us to two local gardens which she maintains.  The first garden was in East Haddam near the Goodspeed Opera House. 

Sue (in blue shirt) introduces Laurel White (in blue shorts).

The first garden had multiple terraces beside and behind the house.  Behind the house a brook carved a deep ravine and an island. A couple of bridges led over to the rocky island. A viewing spot behind an old tree allowed you to see the whole area without going over the bridges which were moss-covered like the brick terrace shown above.

Old tree on stone terrace overlooking ravine.

Writer's studio overlooking ravine and stairs to one of the bridges.

Laurel told everyone about discovering the poppies in the garden. She marveled at the colors and told a story about seed collection. Laurel gave everyone some poppy seeds to plant in their own gardens. Sue will distribute them at the August meeting.

The perennial beds were on the far side of the house from the brick terrace where we started. The gardens were near the road but seemed very secluded. Laurel is just learning how to recognize the plants at all stages--and weed appropriately!  The beds are mature and lush with plants and decorative accessories.

The  perennial beds were on several levels and when you came to the house level from the steps under the arbor (left), the view was panoramic.

A third terrace in a corner of the house displayed some tropical plants

and a colorful hanging basket to end the tour of the first garden.

A Note from Hollye

Hollye Thomas, Plant Sale Chairperson, wants the garden club to know that the plant sale made about half the amount she had set as her goal.  While it was a successful plant sale in terms of volunteer help and donations, the attendance at the Spring Market seemed to be down this year. Some people thought that the fair at Haddam Neck the same day may have cut into participation and our profits.

This note is from Hollye--ever hopeful to increase the amount she can claim the Plant Sale generated:

I have some information from sale to share.  We had some of the community who either came late and/or didn’t find what they wanted.  I have a list so that if any members have these items, they should dig it up and call me so I can arrange pick up and get some more $$ for our coffers. Also, I got a list of names of people who want us to come and dig now or in fall.  Will be looking for people with availability times/dates now and I will worry about fall stuff when it gets closer.

Plants wanted-Does any member have more to share??

Sedum-didn’t specify, so if anyone is still dividing etc, I will take it all just in case (with exception of that creeping sedum that has a yellow flower-I have so much of that I could cover Blueberry Island with it).

Horseradish Root

Yellow Japanese or Swamp Iris

Can you help me get the word out?

The Digs will be for snowball bush, hibiscus, sun drops, spiderwort, iris and lilies…..but only if we know they AREN’T ORANGE!!!

Everyone should keep their eye out at their neighbor’s yard.  We can use some new items never before sold for next year’s sale.

Thanks, Hollye

Belltown Garden Club Garden Tour Monday, June 26

The East Hampton Belltown Garden Club meeting for June will take place in the gardens of two members: Karen Gallmon at 23 Old Skinner Road and JoAnn Hewett at 120 Hog Hill Road.  We will be at JoAnn's garden first at 6:00 p.m. for appetizers and at Karen's garden about 7 p.m. for dessert and a business meeting. Bonnie Desaulnier will be contacting you to sign up for appetizers or dessert.

Also, each member is asked to bring a small "thimble arrangement" for display at Karen's.  It can be small blooms or a single bloom in any small, unique container. But here's an idea for a thimble display from another blogger. She was inspired by a Martha Stewart Living idea.

From http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/2008/05/thimbles-as-vas.html

Be creative-- as we know our garden club members can be!

Warning: Teasers from JoAnn's woodland garden!
But these will probably not be blooming on the 26th.

Jack in the Pulpit

Anemone

Foxglove

The Gardens of Mary Drews on Quarry Hill Road

We had an invitation to visit a local garden belonging to Mary Drews of 181 Quarry Hill Road, Haddam Neck.  If you haven't had a chance to visit yet here's a sampling of what JoAnn and Dianne saw today, the first (and glorious) day of June.

View from the terrace

Picnic spot

The firepit



The terrace

Peony

Poppy

The flower garden

The invitation is still open to garden club members. 
Try to make time to stop by--and smell the flowers!

Perennial Plant Sale at the Spring Market

Lori, Hollye, and Judy ready to help a fellow gardener find the "just right" plant.

It was not a sunny morning, but the temperatures and the humidity made it feel like summer.  Surrounded by plants from members' gardens and people looking for plants to put in their own gardens, it was a good beginning to summer.  The customers were steady and we hope that we made enough money to fund our activities for the upcoming year.

Cheryl brought some tea cups filled with Hen and Chicks or Sempervivum.  Ellen really cleaned out her garden and brought lots of perennials.  Everyone brought divisions from their own gardens to offer to the public.  So many customers were appreciative of the low cost and personal stories and information members could provide about the plants.  We had many repeat customers who want to find that "just right" plant for a bare spot or difficult location in their garden, whether it is new or mature.

We just awarded our annual scholarship this week to Molly Maturo, a senior at East Hampton High School who will attend Mount Holyoke College to study environment science and political science.  Karen Gallmon, President, gave Molly a check at the Senior Awards night, May 24th. Congratulations, Molly! We wish you all the best as you pursue your mission to make this world greener, cleaner and more efficient.

And we have an invitation to visit a local garden belonging to Mary Drews of 181 Quarry Hill Road, Haddam Neck.  She has many poppies, peonies, daylilies and Siberian iris blooming right now in her old farmhouse borders.  Give her a call at 860-267-2631 -or- just come and park on the barn side of the road and walk around the gardens if she's not home. If you see a car, knock on the door and she'll give you a little tour. She's so proud of the perennials and wants to share the joy!

And we have a new member, Holly Stackowitz. Welcome, Holly.

Watch for information soon on the Progressive Garden Tour coming up in June.

It's that time of year we all love!

Plant Sale Saturday, May 26th

Hollye and the Plant Sale Committee need your help.

Call Donna Nicholas to volunteer to work Saturday 8 -11 or 11-2.

Volunteers are also needed for set up on Friday night.

Hollye also needs donations from your gardens.

We hope every member can contribute.

Please divide and pot your perennials and drop them off Friday night or bring them Saturday morning to the East Hampton Congregational Church parking lot.  Our plant sale is located just off the parking lot by the side of the church. Perennials should be labeled at least with common name and whether they prefer sun or shade.

There are many systems for labeling but you might use one of these:

• wooden tongue depressors or popsicle sticks written with permanent marker
• metal blind slats written with permanent marker
• wood skewers available at Stop 'n  Shop and other supermarkets with paper labels

Hollye also has a box of pre-printed labels, clear plastic tape and wood skewers available at the plant sale for labeling "on the spot."  Call Hollye for pots, if needed, or any questions.

 



Upcoming Plant Sales

As we prepare for our annual Perennial Plant Sale on Saturday, May 26th, we wanted to let you know about two other garden club plant sales in May.

• Enfield Garden Club has a plant sale Saturday, May 5th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Senior Center on Elm Street in Enfield.  They have many perennials including a lot of daylilies from a  CT daylily enthusiast.

• Middle Haddam Garden Club will hold their plant sale at the Cobalt/Four Corners Saturday, May 19th.

Let us know if you have more information on local opportunities to buy plants from gardeners by adding a comment to this blog posting.

As you divide perennials from your own garden, please remember to pot them up and bring them to our plant sale at the Congregational Church Spring Market on Friday evening, May 25th or early Saturday morning, May 26th, the day of the sale.  This is our one fundraiser for the year.  We use the proceeds towards the scholarship and general fund.  Help us make this year a successful sale with your donations.

April Meeting Tonight at 7 p.m. at EH Public Library

The clean up at the Village Center Gazebo has been postponed to next Monday, April 30th at 5 p.m. --or whenever you can make it that evening. Keep your gloves, shovels and pruners handy for next week.  And bring some pots and newspaper if you have those items available.  The garden club will provide trash bags, potting soil for potting up new divisions and a tarp.

The regular meeting will still be held tonight at the East Hampton Public Library Community Room. We have a lot of planning to do for the annual May Perennial Sale.  We also need to discuss civic projects to replace our upkeep of the Village Center traffic triangle and finalize details for garden tours and field trips for summer.

We hope to see you there tonight. The rain is supposed to end this afternoon, but it will be too wet to work at the gazebo. We can always meet and talk!

Gazebo Clean Up Monday, April 23rd

Pack up your rake, garden gloves and trash bags--

and come on down

to the Village Center Gazebo

on the Congregational Church front lawn

for the annual spring clean up of the two civic plantings

maintained by the

East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.

We could use your help:

"Many hands make light work!"

and you will enjoy being part of the work crew.

Wear your EHBGC "Dig It!" capris--or your best garden hat.

We will be dividing perennials for the May Perennial Plant Sale.

Come early at 5 p.m., if possible.

The Projects Committee will be there that early.

Otherwise, join us at 6 p.m. at the gazebo

Or later at 7 p.m. for the regular meeting and pizza

at the East Hampton Public Library.

We hope to see you there.

Call Bonnie Desaulnier (Program Chairperson) at 860-267-4584

or

Sue Hewes (Projects Chairperson) at 860-267-1269

with questions or for more information.

Making Live Succulent Wreaths

Karen and Jeff Woodward of Woodward Greenhouses in Chaplin, CT, visited East Hampton last night to make live succulent wreaths with members and guests of the East Hampton Belltown Garden Club.  Several people made wreaths along with Jeff and his wife, Karen, who assisted.  Many other attendees listened to Jeff's instructions and demonstration, hoping to make a wreath of their own later with supplies or plants purchased at the meeting or at local garden centers.  Everyone thought the wreath would make a great gift too.

Jeff has been in the greenhouse business for 40 years but has only recently been growing succulents. When he discovered what could be done with succulents, other annuals and houseplants in the form of wreaths, he began experimenting with good sources and techniques for making the live wreaths.  He found a good quality sphagnum moss (The dehydrated form is a cube!) from New Zealand with little extraneous material and good water retention. The hydrated sphagnum moss is in a pile behind the cube. Jeff tried regular Christmas wreath forms, but finally found a preferable form made specifically for live wreaths.  See the circle form (green) in Jeff's hands and the square form (silver) on the table.

JoAnn followed Jeff's instructions and demonstration to make her own wreath. Peggy took some notes to remind her what to do later on her own.  JoAnn filled the wreath frame with 16 plants alternated by tennis ball sized clumps of sphagnum moss inserted into the frame.

Adrianna and Kim complete their wreaths. The hardest part is to fit the last plant into the wire frame.  There were three different varieties of Hen and Chicks or Sempervivum to arrange on the inside and outside of the frame alternately. Jeff told us to water the wreath next week by allowing the wreath to stand in 1-2 inches of water until it absorbs what it needs, then don't mist or spray or water again for another week, at least.

Jeff shows Donna and Diane how the wreaths can be made with pansies, ferns and other plants.  The Woodward Greenhouses web site has a wonderful photo gallery of wreaths made with all kinds of materials.  The photos are sure to inspire you to make a wreath.  Just ask a Belltown Garden Club member how to do it!

Live Succulent Wreaths Monday, March 26th

Making Live Succulent Wreaths

Presented by

Karen and Jeff Woodward

Of

Woodward Greenhouses

Chaplin, CT

Monday, March 26th at 6:30 p.m.

This is an early than usual start time!

East Hampton Public Library Community Room

Please contact Bonnie by phone at 860-267-4584

or email bonniedesa@gmail.com

to pre-order materials to make a live succulent wreath at the meeting.

You do not have to make a wreath at the meeting. 

Karen and Jeff will demonstrate how to

gather materials and make a live wreath for all attendees.

But you do have to pre-order materials through Bonnie to

be able to make a wreath at the meeting!

Please let Bonnie know by Friday, March 23rd.

The picture above is not a sample of the wreath we will be making--just an example!

Go to the Woodward Greenhouses web site for photos of all kinds of living wreaths,

including ones made with succulents.